CLECKHEATON had an unusual problem this week.

“Apart from Tom Austin, all of our players are available, and it made for a very difficult selection meeting,” admitted rugby chairman Neil Gillan.

“Ronan Evans and Liam Darville were not available to play last weekend at West Hartlepool, and Andy Piper wasn’t quite fit, but all three are in the squad to face Huddersfield YMCA at Moorend on Saturday.”

Darville is at centre and Piper at prop, but fly half Evans can only make the bench for the North One East derby.

“We have opted for Andy, Ben Thrower and Paul Turner in a heavyweight front row, and have put Niall Jackson into the Kestrels, while Brad Marsden continues in the back row, while coach Thiu Barnard is our 19th man in case anyone drops out.”

Bradford & Bingley are hoping to back up their startling comeback victory at Percy Park (from losing 21-0, they scored 40 points in the second half) when they take on visitors Morpeth.

No team have been punching above their weight more this season than Old Grovians, who are fourth in Yorkshire Division Two.

“For the first time, we have managed to hang onto our better players, rather than have them cherry-picked by higher-ranked local clubs,” said Grovians’ head coach Dan Nulty.

“Also we have a bigger core of players – 18 or 19 rather than 16 – plus the ten or so who play more occasionally.

“In addition, Danny Secker and Adam Weaving have made useful input into coaching sessions, and we have realised the value of playing multiple phases, rather than trying to score off every play.”

Will Blackhall, Alex Masterson and Nathan Barr return for the old boys at home to Wetherby.

Bradford Salem are optimistic that No 8 Christian Baines will be back sooner than first feared.

The former Grovian broke an ankle last week against North Ribblesdale, but Salem’s first-XV manager Neil Klenk said: “We are hopeful that he might be back in six weeks.”

Centre or wing Connor Malarkey, who has played in the back row before, wears the No 8 shirt at Wheatley Hills in Yorkshire Division One.

Unbeaten Wibsey welcome back Marcus Grimes in Yorkshire Division Four North West at Thirsk, but they are still without James Brown and Luke Helliwell, while James Birkbeck and David Wilkinson are also missing.

Cleckheaton (home to Huddersfield YMCA): J Wilson; M Hayward, L Darville, Matt Piper, P Foulstone; M Swetman, J Bickerdike; P Turner, B Thrower, A Piper, R Piercy, L Pearson, B Marsden, J Seddon, J Plunkett. Replacements: J Crowther, N Cherryholme, R Evans.

Bradford Salem (at Whealtey Hills): D Belcher; R Smith, H Hall, A Robinson, J Abram; M Booth, J Simpson; W Collins, A Veitch, G Griekis, C Watson, S Gardner, C Wood, C Malarkey, N Fontaine. Replacements: M Bokiss, S Smith, M Darragh.

Wibsey (at Thirsk) from: A Rose, S Birkbeck, L Wilson, R Hall, J Worsnop, M Grimes, S Foulds, C Farley, R Goldsborough, K Carter, J Sawyer, B Wright, J Rogers, D Hartley, S Taylor, J Nall, M Kite, A Armitage, J Cull, R Simpson.